This specification relates to streaming media content.
A networked server can stream media content to one or more computers connected to a communication network. Various examples of media content include video, audio, text, and combinations thereof. A computer can request and receive a media content. A computer can render media content to an output device such as a video display, speaker, or a printer.
Processing devices such as a computer or a server can use one or more protocols to exchange media content. For example, some processing devices can use a protocol such as the Real-Time Messaging Protocol (RTMP) of Adobe Systems Incorporated of San Jose, Calif. to send media content over a network such as one based on an Internet Protocol (IP). RTMP can provide multiplexing and packetizing services for a higher-level multimedia stream protocol. RTMP messages can include a timestamp and payload type identification information. Protocols such as RTMP can use a reliable transport protocol such as Transmission Control Protocol (TCP) to provide guaranteed timestamp-ordered end-to-end delivery of messages, across one or more streams.
Some processing devices can use a Web protocol such as a Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP) to request and receive information such as a document or at least a portion of a document. Some HTTP requests can identify a specific document. Processing devices can transact HTTP data over TCP/IP.